Public policies set the context within which HIV prevention, identification and treatment occur. For example, state policies regarding needle exchange affect transmission rates among injecting drug users and policies on names reporting affect HIV testing behavior among individuals concerned with a potential breach in confidentiality. At the national and international levels, funding allocated for HIV care affects the numbers of individuals who receive effective treatment and can live prolonged and healthier lives. The Policy Core determines the consequences of public policies on HIV identification, prevention and treatment of HIV in local, state, national and international settings and provides this information to provide public health and governmental leaders with the evidence base necessary for well-informed policy-making.